Search St. Louis County Deed Records

St. Louis County deed records are maintained at the courthouse in Duluth and cover all real estate documents for the largest county in Minnesota by land area. The recorder's office provides retrieval and reproduction services, and staff assist with document research. Online access is available through LandShark for subscribed users. Historical resources include the Minnesota Historical Society, historic plat books published by the county, and the Borchert Map Library at the University of Minnesota. This page covers how to find deed records, what types are filed, and what rules apply to recording in St. Louis County.

St. Louis County Recorder Office

The St. Louis County Recorder is located in Room 101 of the Courthouse in Duluth, MN. The office records and maintains all official real estate documents for the county, including deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, and Torrens filings. Staff assist with document retrieval and provide photocopies of recorded documents upon request. The county website is available at stlouiscountymn.gov.

The screenshot below shows the St. Louis County main website, which links to the recorder's office and related county land record services.

St. Louis County is the largest county in Minnesota by area and covers a large portion of northeastern Minnesota, including Duluth and many communities along the Iron Range. The recorder's office serves a diverse set of land ownership types, from urban residential properties in Duluth to vast rural parcels in the northern part of the county.

Note: St. Louis County has a large geographic area. Some service offices may be available at locations other than the main Duluth courthouse. Contact the county for information about any satellite offices or regional service points.

Online Deed Search with LandShark

St. Louis County provides online deed record access through LandShark. This system allows users to search by document type, grantor or grantee name, document number, date range, and legal description. Document images are viewable and downloadable through the platform. Subscriptions are required for full access and are well suited for title companies, attorneys, and other real estate professionals who search regularly.

LandShark is a widely used system across Minnesota counties. It provides consistent search functionality and document image access. Contact the St. Louis County Recorder's office or the LandShark provider for current subscription pricing and setup information.

For those who need basic ownership information without a full deed search, the county assessor's tools may provide parcel-level data. Check the St. Louis County website for any free property lookup options available to the public.

Historical St. Louis County Land Records

St. Louis County has a rich set of historical land records. The recorder's office publishes its own plat book, which covers property ownership and parcel mapping across the county. Staff can assist with retrieval of historical records and provide photocopies upon request.

The Minnesota Historical Society holds historic atlases and county land records that may supplement the recorder's holdings for older research. These collections are particularly useful for Iron Range property research and pre-statehood land grants. The Historical Society's library in St. Paul is open to researchers by appointment.

The Borchert Map Library at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis holds a large collection of Minnesota maps and atlases, including historic county plat books. Researchers working on St. Louis County land history may find useful materials there, particularly for township and plat maps from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

For pre-1908 federal land grants, the Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office site provides free access to scanned homestead patents and cash entry records. These records document the original transfer of public land to private ownership in St. Louis County.

Recording Fees and Deed Tax

The standard recording fee in St. Louis County is $46.00 per document. Plats cost $56.00. Well Disclosure Certificates are $54.00 when property with a well is sold. Certified copies cost $10.00 per document. These fees apply statewide under Minnesota law.

Deed tax is charged at 0.33% of net consideration under Minnesota Statute 287.21. This tax must be paid before any deed is recorded. On a $200,000 sale, the deed tax comes to $660. For larger rural parcels or Iron Range commercial properties, deed tax amounts may be proportionally higher based on total consideration.

Tax certification is required before recording under Minnesota Statute 272.12. The county auditor certifies that all real estate taxes are paid on the parcel before the recorder can accept the deed. This step is mandatory for all property transfers in St. Louis County.

Document Standards and Recording Requirements

Documents submitted to the St. Louis County Recorder must meet the standards of Minnesota Statute 507.093. This law covers paper size, margin widths, font size, and the placement of the preparer's name and return address. Non-compliant documents may be returned or recorded with an additional fee.

For homestead properties, both spouses must sign the deed under Minnesota Statute 507.02. This applies even when only one spouse holds title. Missing a spousal signature creates a title defect that can affect future transactions.

Under Minnesota Statute 507.34, unrecorded deeds are void against later purchasers who pay value and record first without notice. Buyers should record their deed as soon as possible after closing to protect their ownership rights in St. Louis County.

Types of Deed Records in St. Louis County

Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds are the most common types recorded in St. Louis County. Warranty deeds include seller guarantees about title. Quitclaim deeds transfer the grantor's interest without guarantee. Both are governed by Minnesota Statute 507.07.

Transfer on Death Deeds allow owners to name a beneficiary who receives the property at death without probate, under Minnesota Statute 507.071. The deed must be recorded before death to take effect. Contracts for deed, common in rural and resort property sales, must be recorded within four months of signing under Minnesota Statute 507.235.

St. Louis County uses both the abstract and Torrens recording systems. Torrens land is state-registered under Minnesota Statute Chapter 508. The recorder issues Certificates of Title for Torrens parcels, which provide state-guaranteed evidence of current ownership.

Cities in St. Louis County

Duluth is the county seat and largest city in St. Louis County, and the only city in the county that meets the 100,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page. Other communities in the county include Hibbing, Virginia, Ely, Chisholm, and International Falls (which is actually in Koochiching County).

Nearby Counties

These counties border St. Louis County. Property records for land in neighboring areas are held by their respective recorders.